Expedition Stout - Bourbon Barrel Aged Chocolate Ancho Chile
Bell's Brewery - Eccentric Café & General Store

 

 

Expedition Stout – Bourbon Barrel Aged Chocolate Ancho Chile – from Bells. Single 12 fl oz bottle purchased from Bells General Store, Kalamazoo, MI, 20/08/24, $ 8.04 (including tax and deposit), $ 0.67/fl oz. Reviewed 23/08/24 (Review 3339). Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Printed on the label “Packaged on 05.10.24”. In reefer at store. Stored at hotel reefer temperature. Served at 53.4 degrees F in a hand washed and dried glass coffee cup. The final temperature was 56.8 degrees F.
Appearance – 4.
First pour – Deep Brown (SRM 30), opaque.
Body – Deep Brown (SRM 30), opaque. Under direct light, same. When rear-lite, same with light penetration only at the top edge – mahogany.
Head – Tiny (Maximum 0.4 cm, aggressive center pour), wheat, high density, excellent retention, with a few tiny islands of foam.
Lacing – Surprisingly good for the ABV! Produces a complete band of near-microscopic bubbles.
Aroma – 4 – Chocolate. No malt, no hops, no alcohol (13.3% ABV, according to the label).
Flavor – 4.5 – Begins with distinct chiles followed by some attenuating chocolate. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl. Mild gastric warming – could be chiles, ethanol, or both.
Palate – 4 – Medium; creamy; soft carbonation.
Final Impression and summation: 4.25 There is neither aroma nor taste of alcohol – just chocolate and mild chile heat. Also missing the vegetal flavor often present in chile beers. Unfortunately, the bourbon barrels are missing as well.

Bottled 5/10/23. Poured at 53°. Black body; dark tan head that disappears quickly leaving a few surface spot an a thin ring at best; no legs. Green chilies nose; no bourbon. Spicy verde sauce; hot mole chocolate sauce; no bourbon, nor barrel flavors. Burn on tip of tongue; silky feel; medium light body; light carbonation; mouth warmth from 13.3% abv. Overall, long hot spicy ancho chile linger; chocolate in the mix but sitting in the back seat while the chilies drive the bus; my whole mouth tingles from the alcohol and peppers.